Every act of violence is a betrayal of language.
Naomi Nye gave a reading here last night and finished with a lullabye about a chicken that drew a well deserved standing ovation. Her reading was so powerful I’m almost at a loss for words. Suffice it to say that she told us that she leaves a reading satisfied when she feels as if, “words have weight again.”
Well, my friends (as Nye would say), words have weight again. Or more weight, I should say. It is readings like that, the many opportunities I have to celebrate the sacredness of the word with my family, my friends, my students and writers like Naomi Nye that remind me what a blessed, blessed life I lead.
In Other News. . .
Things have been relatively quiet wardrobe-wise, since we found Jerzees sweatpants at Dollar General last Friday for $5/pair. We stocked up and both kids now have them in every color. And Will is a happy, happy boy as long as he has his sweatpants on.
However, I did get to witness another philosophical discussion about the yellow Pokemon shirt.
John: (holding up the shirt) Ok, since you’re going to be wearing a sweatshirt today, you can wear this shirt under it. That should be fine, right?
Will: (giving John a withering look) Daddy, it’s not winter yet. I can’t wear that shirt until winter.
John: I should just give it away then. For some reason, you won’t wear it.
Will: I’ll wear it. When it’s winter.
John: So, I’ll give you another long sleeve shirt and you’ll wear that under your sweatshirt?
Will: Yes.
John: What’s the difference?
Will: It’s not winter yet.
Children. Master’s of the circular argument. I have to say, though, winter or not, things are just not looking good for the Pokemon shirt.
One of my favorite tshirts came from Old Navy (though it doesn’t look like it did) and it says “Euro Music Festival” on it in a really vintage looking font. However, I’ll only wear it around the house or as an undershirt, because I’m afraid if I wear it in plain view, people will ask me how the music fest was and did I get to see the Hague, Big Ben, or the Berlin Wall when I was in Europe, to which I’ll be forced to reply that no, I actually didn’t go to Europe but Old Navy. And I will lose all the cool points I had gained by giving the mystique of a well-traveled music snob.
The Nye reading was gorgeous. The song at the end was perfect punctuation.
Tim–you should make up a story about the Euro Music Festival. Or it would make a great excuse to go!
SV
I didn’t get to attend the reading, but Maegan and Garrett both said it was fantastic. As far as the “sacred-ness” of the word goes, I’m always amazed when I find it in the rare wonderful book. The Tale of Despereaux was one of those…and Oryx and Crake (which is fantastic).
Bri